Man from Singapore killed in gun range accident in California

Mr Tan was found with a gunshot wound at the Raahauge Shooting Enterprises, and he was subsequently evacuated to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

PHOTO: GoFundMe

SINGAPORE - A man from Singapore was killed in a shooting accident at a gun range in California on Saturday (Jan 14).

Media reports from the United States identified the man as Mr Lionel Tan, 36.

Earlier reports stated that Mr Tan was found with a gunshot wound at the Raahauge Shooting Enterprises, and he was subsequently evacuated to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The Sheriff's Department deemed the shooting accidental and said that investigations are ongoing.

The range manager, Cindy Raahauge Shenberger, told Californian daily The Press-Enterprise that it is unclear what happened. She added that this is the first such incident at the gun range in three decades.

Mr Tan's friend, Mr Gabriel Estrada, described the shooting as a 'freak accident' on Facebook.

"RIP buddy. The nicest gentlemen I could ever met in my army days.. I still can't process the reality that you are really gone from us. Though we haven't spoken much since we left our separate ways for University," wrote a Alvin Sia.

"Thanks for all the memories, the late nights at Eastern guardroom, hanging out after camp at LAN-shop playing counterstrikes, and our maiden trip to Sepang to watch out first F1 race together," Mr Sia added.

Thanking Mr Estrada on Facebook for arrangements, Mr Tan's family said that they are "forever indebted".

More than $20,000 has been pledged in 22 hours by 279 people on the GoFundMe page.